Part of my reason for writing so heavily on this is for public “prior art” so no camera manufacture can screw the industry by patenting ETTR, claiming “new and non obvious”. I certainly think it is obvious, but patent examiners often grant ridiculous claims.

I have been using ETTR ad-hoc for some years now. But it is only the past few months that I have intensively researched it across cameras and brands with the result that I now must conclude my error in significantly underestimating the amount of improvement possible. That is why my recent coverage has been focused so strongly in this area.

ETTR is a must-master digital skill

ETTR cannot be applied in every photographic situation, but it applies to most. ETTR is a technical skill; it is not about creativity. Both are required to be a strong photographer.

ETTR is the single most important thing you can do for image quality with any digital camera besides Making a Sharp Image. Especially with small sensor cameras, ETTR makes images sharper by reducing noise that obscures fine image detail.

How well well ETTR works and why ETTR works take some explaining, and this is presented in general in the ETTR section of DAP, along with all the other camera-specific research presented over the past six weeks or so.

Was black and white film the original ETTR?

Not using ETTR is like a black and white photographer having no knowledge of how to push/pull film or paper in development— which in the heyday of black and white film would fairly have been said to be incompetence.

Was Ansel Adams in essence an ETTR master with black and white? Because the resulting density of the negative relied on exposure together with the type of developer, duration of development, temperature, and method of agitation, all of which alter the tonal range and contrast of the resulting negative. ETTR with digital is thus an eminently appropriate photographic approach, but one that can and should be automated by the camera.

Reader comments

Kit L writes:

This would end so many problems with digital. And I agree 100% re. ETTR histogram; I have been experimenting with the DP2 M, and often dial in +0.7 EV, and I might try more. I have to say that I find the UI truly intelligent, too.

DIGLLOYD: I often see up to 1.7 stops with the Sigma DP Merrill cameras. It all depends on the lighting (mainly). So far +1 to +1.7 seems to be a consistent winner.

I have heard from a reader that the new BlackMagic video camera has an auto-ETTR feature when recording starts. If so, it means someone out there is not as clueless as Nikon and Canon and Sony and Olympus and Sigma and Leica. Sigh.

Shooting this was a grind; the Sony RX100 is terrific for what it is, but such a headache in several ways for making a comparison; the Sigma DP2 Merrill is very well behaved by comparison. Sigma could take cool-tech lessons from Sony, and Sony could take usability lessons from Sigma.

Leica Camera is dedicated to producing products that exhibit mastery in optics and mechanics, high-quality design and outstanding craftsmanship. Our engineers and designers constantly strive to meet the challenges set by those with the highest expectations and only after extensive testing and quality control exercises is a product deemed worthy to enter the marketplace.

Due to the extraordinary technical requirements of the new APO-Summicron-M 50mm/f2 ASPH. lens, the manufacturing processes are complex and sensitive. We regret to share that the first shipment of the APO-Summicron-M 50mm/f2 ASPH has been delayed due to technical reasons as we actively work to determine a stable production process for this new lens.

At the present time, we are unable to announce a new shipment date. As soon as an updated ship date is determined, we will share this information with our valued customers.

It would not be the first time that Leica has had to work out production issues for ultra high performance lens designs; some designs are superlative but also extremely demanding of tolerances and very hard to produce. My speculation is that Leica found too much variability in producing the first batch of lenses, forcing time consuming QA and redo work (“stable production process”).

There are really two paths Leica can follow here:

Leica will keep the design identical, but work out means of reliably producing lenses that meet specification without unduly high production costs. This is a time and effort trial-and-error ramp-up.

Leica could modify the design slightly, making it less sensitive to production tolerances, and thus possibly down-specing the performance. Given the high specs for this lens, this is a real concern, but my sense is that Leica will avoid this route.

A lens shade, the thumbgrip, an extra battery and the EVF wart are essential “options” in my book. And in context, the 4-year service plan with accidental damage actually makes sense at $350 (less than 10% of the system cost). Which brings our total to about $4100 (excluding tax).

It’s a good thing that the Sony RX1 has one fixed lens to keep the cost down (no temptation to buy a 2nd or 3rd lens). But it’s the only lens you can ever use with it.

The RX1 is a super premium camera, but it would be more attractive at $2999 with all the accessories below except perhaps the EVF (which ought to be built-in)— upping profit margins by charging for all the stuff any serious shooter needs is an approach I would prefer to avoid—at least a bundle deal would be preferable to having to track down out of stock items. Don’t forget the Sony RX100 as an accessory (a bargain at only $648).

The brutally competitive camera market will speak its verdict soon enough. But for this chunk of change, a Nikon D800E with a Zeiss lens sure looks a lot more interesting to me, even if it is larger and heavier. Well, that’s the thing: perhaps the size and weight are worth the cost.

There are far lower priced alternatives. Two very sharp Sigma DP Merrill cameras (28mm and 45mm lenses) for a fraction of the price of the RX1. But no EVF and so on.

Here is a relatively compact kit for Canon shooters covering a wide range of shooting circumstances at very high quality. Perhaps not the usual picks, but each lens here has something special to offer.

While the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II is excellent, it is a large lens and especially for travel, lenses like the 24/2.8 and 40/2.8 have tons of appeal on a stroll around town or similar: stick one lens on the camera and the other in a pocket and you won’t stick out like a sore thumb with a huge monster lens. And better images will likely result from the restriction of a fixed focal length.

Canon 8-15mm f/4L

Who can object to an 8mm circular fisheye that zooms to 15mm full frame coverage with brilliant contrast? Especially for indoors and travel, there is nothing quite like the Canon 8-15mm, which deserves more praise than it’s received.

Canon 24mm f/2.8 IS

The Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS is a very strong performer with image stabilization. The f/2.8 aperture in a modern lens design has resulted in a high performance lens at moderate cost, and the IS feature extends the versatility. The 28mm f/2.8 IS is also excellent (and I expect the new 35/2 IS will be also, but the 40mm is so cheap and lovely that it’s a no-brainer).

Canon 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens

The Canon 40/2.8 STM is a strong performer but where it really rocks is a visual rendition wide open that is reminiscent of my favorite Leica and Zeiss glass. Lovely, and it stays attractive stopped down 1/2/3 stops. (BTW, do not turn on vignetting correction, though mild, it is definitely part of the appeal!).

Now add in the fact that the 40/2 is dirt cheap and lightweight and tiny. It turns any Canon DSLR into a refreshingly compact system free of the usual lens protuberance. While a Canon 5D Mark III is relatively large, it’s an entirely different experience to carry it with the 40/2.8 STM compared to something like the Canon 35/1.4L or 24-70 zoom.

Olympus 75mm f/1.8 ED (Micro Four Thirds)

Cameras that are actually shipping and that I have reviewed and used extensively.

Each of these make the cut by doing something really, really well.

Sony RX100

This is the best small (really small) compact camera I have ever used. Perfect fill flash, beautiful color, lovely lens bokeh. Not nearly as sharp across the frame as its 20 megapixel sensor would suggest, but exceptionally pleasing images. About $648, reviewed in Guide to Mirrorless.

Olympus OM-D E-M5

Mid-sized interchangeable lens camera offering outstanding image quality for the serious shooter willing to use ETTR techniques in RAW, and excellent image quality even without taking too much care.

Sigma DP1 / DP2 Merrill

Larger than the Sony RX100, smaller than the Olympus E-M5, and offering stunning per-pixel sharpness superior due to its true-color sensor (14.75 megapixel finished images). Ergonomics very well thought out for shooting, and with much simpler menus than the stupefying ones in the Olympus E-M5 or Sony RX100.

Fixed 28mm or 45mm (equivalent) lenses, both of which are excellent, the 45mm particularly so (DP2 Merrill). About $849, reviewed in Guide to Mirrorless.

Nikon D800E/D800E

World’s best DSLR for image quality in late 2012. Some user interface flaws, but the image quality rocks.

The false premise is assuming that a tone must be exposed to match the brightness at which it is to be rendered.

With film, exposure is a rigid relationship: for a precise middle gray (for example), a specific exposure must be selected exactly for that middle gray. This is absolutely not the case for digital (RAW); a wide range of exposure is possible.

In the age of digital photography, exposure brightness and rendering brightness are decoupled within the limits of the capture device and the overall scene contrast.

The fixed exposure-rendering relationship anachronism should be taken out with the cat litter from both black and white cats.

At present, ETTR is suitable only for RAW (not JPEG) due to flawed camera software, but there is no reason it cannot also be applied to JPEG if only camera vendors would separate the concepts of exposure from rendered image brightness.

Black cats and white cats

What is the correct exposure for each?

A pure black cat on a pure black background.

A pure white cat on a pure white background.

A camera meter (film or digital) will record middle-gray cats in both cases. Film or digital.

An incident light meter was always popular for sidestepping this “gray cat” issue by eliminating subject reflectance as a source of error by measuring instead the intensity of the incoming light. This is perfect for film (and JPEG to an extent); blacks render as black, whites renders as white, middle grays render as middle gray.

But for digital RAW, the incident light meter is a severely flawed method for the black cat (or any dark low-key subject). For why this is so, see the ETTR section in DAP.

Metered vs ETTR exposure (no loss of detail)

Should just be automatic

Why should anyone ever have to figure out ETTR manually?Why should ETTR require (any) knowledge to use?

Those inside a bubble cannot see the bubble.

A century of photographic film photography molded generations of minds that still cannot approach digital as the new technology it is. Hence we see insipidly uncreative “scene modes” for sepia and black and white, but no auto-ETTR. We see new sensor types designed to address noise, but no auto-ETTR. We see noise reduction modes and software, but no auto-ETTR. We see live histograms, but no auto-ETTR. Why beat around the noise bush?

ETTR and Live View

A camera with Live View already has the data it needs to know exactly how much exposure the sensor can take without blowing out highlights (900K pixels ought to be enough, but presumably most or all of the sensor is available in real time). Many cameras offer a live histogram already, which has to be computed in real time. Connect the dots.

So why isn’t this Live View information being used to offer an auto-ETTR exposure mode?

Give me “ETTR aperture priority” in my cameras: make the best exposure for the sensor signal to noise ratio for the aperture I choose, without blowing more than 0.05% of the highlights (some cutoff).

Record the exposure delta relative to the “correct” metered exposure. Store this in the RAW image for auto conversion to a default brightness.

I don’t see any rocket science here. I don’t want bracketing modes (the shotgun solution with huge penalties in space and time to process), I want the best possible digital capture, as computed by the camera for its statically known capabilities.

Sports/action? Use the exposure mode suitable for the job. But just as low/high shutter sync and low/high auto ISO exist, so too could parameters for auto-ETTR in any auto mode.

Research on ETTR

Here are a few pages which address this topic in general and specifically. Some of these links are to the referencing blog entries (no login required) and some are to within publications (login required).

There are three requirements for outstanding lenses: fine design, precise manufacturing and inspection that ensures compliance with all specifications. Sigma lenses are born of well-thought-out design concepts and sophisticated, advanced Japanese manufacturing technology: the final clincher is our lens performance evaluation.

We used to measure lens performance using conventional sensors. However, we’ve now developed our own A1 proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even previously undetectable high-frequency details are now within the scope of our quality control inspections. The lenses in our new lines will all be checked using this new system before they are shipped.

Thanks to our new sensors, with their extremely high resolution, you can expect our high-performance lenses to be better than ever.

At the heart of the A1 measurement system is the same Merrill Generation 46 Megapixel Foveon sensor in the Sigma SD1 Merrill, and the Merrill Generation DP cameras. The incredible resolution of this sensor makes it perfectly suited to this advanced scientific purpose. The lenses to be measured are hooked up to the image capture device, and the special charts are captured and analyzed using new, proprietary algorithms designed to work in conjunction with the high-resolution sensor. This level of detail analysis is critical for creating lenses capable of meeting the demands of the most detailed image sensors in cameras such as the Sigma SD1 Merrill and the Nikon D800.

As you know, the 46-megapixel Merrill Generation Foveon sensor is APS-C format, capable of both super high resolution and super micro detail. So, in order to test the lenses edge to edge, and corner to corner, to cover the entire 35mm image circle, the first test image is made at the center of the frame, and then the sensor is moved to a corner of the image circle, and repeated for each remaining corner. The data is analyzed and the tester then determines if the lens has met the quality control standards.

And every new lens designed in the Contemporary, Art, and Sports lines will be tested with the A1 device–meaning 100% of the lenses built will be analyzed and approved before leaving the factory in Aizu.

Today’s best-resolving cameras demand lenses with the highest level of optical performance, and using A1 MTF testing on every lens produced ensures the each lens manufactured is up to both the high standards of Sigma and the the demands of the most discerning photographers–and their cameras.

Marketing hype? I don’t think so.

The process sounds great and it no doubt has its limitations— but it is a useful and important validation step. Moving forward to 36 megapixels and beyond in the DSLR arena, more precise quality control becomes mandatory.

UPDATE: I requested MTF charts from Sigma, but my request was not granted. This is unfortunate— when a company is to claim MTF testing, it ought to back up its claims by providing some evidence of it. Zeiss and Leica do (and I trust their charts). Nikon and Canon do (though I don’t trust Nikon and Canon or Sony MTF charts).

Leica

Leica USA cannot inform me as to a ship date (I inquired), so I suspect that the delay I hear from my sources is indeed true. A company does not serve its own interests or earn the trust of customers by announcing a ship date and then remaining silent when the date slips. Ditto for any kind of product issue (witness Nikon’s inept handling of the D800 focusing and D600 dust problem). Better to just be honest, it generates respect and trust.

The Sigma DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill produce 14.75 megapixel finished images with more sharpness per pixel than any color camera on the market today. I like them both, see my in depth review of the Sigma DP1/DP2 Merrill for details.

The readers who have gotten either of these cameras have all told me they are quite pleased (there are some things that could be better, such is life).

Consider this: for $1700, you can get both cameras ($849 + $849) giving you a 28mm and 45mm equivalent which can share batteries and accessories and provide a measure of redundancy.

And you’re still at ~17% of the cost of a Leica M Monochrom system. And you get true color and superb monochrome! The reality is that I prefer the Sigma DP cameras to the Leica M Monochrom: even ignoring the enormous price differences, the Sigma DP Merrill cameras have autofocus, a high-res rear LCD, shoot true-color images or superb black and white, and offer ~91% of the linear resolution of the Leica MM. No, they won’t shoot as well in night clubs or dim alleys or that sort of thing, but with the money you save you can buy a Nikon D4 or D800E and solve that too with money left over.

The Sigma lenses on the DP1/DP2 are excellent, well they don’t have all the lovely qualities of Leica M glass, but they are better in some ways (little or no field curvature). And you get a lot more depth of field with the APS-C sensor.

Both the Sigma DP1 Merrill and DP2 Merrill deliver stunning per-pixel resolution (14.75MP finished images), and both have one of the most straightforward and usable interfaces on the market for a point and shoot camera. Both have modest battery life and no EVF and no built-in flash, this is the way it goes.

Definitely worth a gander, and both of them as a pair (28mm + 45 mm) could cover a wide range of situations and still cost a lot less than the newfangled Sony RX1.

Sigma DP2 Merrill

Michael J writes:

May I suggest the good old shootout between the RX100 and DP1/DP2 cameras?

They do seem like natural competitors and it would be really cool to see the actual differences in pocket sized cameras.

I used to have the old DP1, dumped it for RX100, but now, having seen the samples from the Merril one, I am thinking of switching back again to Sigma.

DIGLLOYD: The old Sigma DP1 is not the DP1 Merrill, not even close in terms of the sensor resolution and noise.

Having handled both the RX100 and Sigma DP camera, they are vastly different in ergonomics alone, the Sony RX100 having a built-in flash and being super pocketable. and with a zoom.

While the RX100 has a 20 megapixel sensor, one should not confuse megapixels on a sensor with finished image detail, which is where the Sigma DP1/DP2 Merrill excels across the entire frame beyond what one will ever see from a 14.75 megapixel conventional sensor. The RX100 can deliver high central sharpness to its 20MP sensor, but sharpness degrades off-center and when zoomed to longer focal lengths. Its images are beautiful but do not have the crystal clarity of detail across the frame as seen with the Sigma DP Merrills.

I would not see having both cameras as being duplicative, but in the field I found myself using the RX100 more for portraits (not just of people, the full general sense of any subject’s portrait), and the Sigma DP1 Merrill for when I wanted detailed landscapes.

About two months ago I reported on the crashing problem with Sigma Photo Pro software 5.3 (and 5.4). It made the software literally unusable on my 6-core and 12-core Mac Pros, and my 4-core laptops crashes regularly. I provided a complete thread dump to Sigma and worked with them on the issue.

Remaining issues

SPP insists on applying noise reduction settings for each and every image; this cannot be disabled so one has to open it for every image and disable it manually. After 5 images, this gets old. After 100, infuriating.

Many areas of the user interface remain litterally unreadable due to the tiny dark gray type on a darker gray background.

No quick way to zoom to 100%. No background processing once the button is clicked for actual size; one is forced to wait (for a current image at least there is absolutely no reason the software can’t work in the background on the current image, or maybe even all visible images).

Like the Nikon D800/D800E and the Olympus OM-D E-M5, the Canon 5D Mark III has the potential for much superior image quality when proper ETTR techique is used. Color shooters should be paying attention here, but anyone shooting for black and white should pay particular attention to the potential, as the ETTR study shows.

The image at right is NOT blown-out, in spite of the misleading histogram. It is in fact the best possible use of the sensor potential.

With my recent evaluations of all my cameras for ETTR (not all published as yet), it has become clear that an ETTR evaluation is essential for every camera in its corresponding review.

I have long used an ad-hoc ETTR approach in my field work. But sometimes things seep into consciousness slowly, then suddenly emerge with full clarity.

With my recent controlled studies, it has become clear that utilizing the sensor to its full potential exerts a remarkable influence on image quality: grainy results with impure color (small sensor cameras here) that defy even moderate sharpening. Versus ultra-smooth results that take strong sharpening easily. And that an optimal exposure easily outweigh the relatively small noise differences between cameras (useable dynamic range is still an issue however).

ETTR requires some care and is not for every shooting situation, but for many situations is it the ideal way to go.

In a studio setting with lighting controlled and relatively unchanging, and 100% repeatable, an incident light meter is an old friend for many professionals.

The incident light meter is a reference point that with experience can be rock solid in terms of repeatable results (which aren’t necessarily optimal for digital, as per my recent research, for optimal results on digital, one still has to use it as a reference, not an absolute).

Digital is not film, and technically excellent results demand much more attention to sensor potential than the simplistic “correct” exposure. For digital, correct ≠ optimal. Meaning that the exposure and the finished image tonal distribution are two different things entirely.

An incident meter would only be an extra hassle for me in the field, and it can add no value to using the histogram, which provides much more insight than simply metering the ambient light. An incident meter in the field is in fact problematic for numerous reasons, which I articulate:

So you want to shoot JPEG so that your D800E/D800 can deliver 36 megapixel images with 18 megapixels of actual detail with color that has been dulled and flattened and dynamic range that has been truncated several stops?

Somewhat intriguing is a description that obliquely suggests an emphasis on pleasing bokeh. Sigma describes the 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM this way:

The Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG HSM is a state of the art lens designed for full frame cameras but can also be used with APS-C sensors as well.

The first addition to the Art category in Sigma’s Global Vision, the 35mm 1.4 DG HSM includes new features based around a unique lens concept and design.

The 35mm is a staple focal length in the world of photography, and paired with Sigma technology, this lens can take artistic expression to the next level.

The lens is equipped with technology including a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM), floating internal focusing system, SLD and FLD Glass elements. The HSM ensures quiet, high seed, accurate autofocusing while the floating focusing system allows for superior optical performance with subjects at a closer shooting distance.

The SLD glass elements along with the FLD glass elements, which are equal to fluorite, help correct both axial and chromatic aberration.

The large 1.4 aperture make it ideal in low light and the lens is compatible with the Sigma USB dock and Optimization Pro software to adjust and fine tune focusing parameters. The Sigma 35mm 1.4 DG HSM is a must have for any camera bag.

While the MSRP is $1499 (hello?), the street price at B&H is vastly lower, at about $899, making the Sigma 35/1.4 a real contender should it actually offer an imaging quality that competes favorably in pleasing image rendition. With the Nikon 35/1.4G almost double the price, and the Zeiss 35/1.4 Distagon more than double the price, it deserves a look at least, especially if it offers unique imaging qualities.

I might work the 35/1.4 DG HSM into my reviewing schedule if I obtain one quickly for evaluation.

· One “F” Low Dispersion (FLD) glass lens and four Special Low Dispersion (SLD) glass lenses to ensure exceptional correction of lateral and axial chromatic aberration, the latter of which cannot be corrected in post production

· A floating inner focus system to provide extremely high optical performance for close-up photos

· Super Multi-Layer Coating to reduce flare and ghosting and provide sharp and high contrast images even in backlit conditions

· A HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) that ensures high speed, accurate and quiet AF · Rubber incorporated into the attachment part of the lens hood, and an improved redesign of the lens cap and AF / MF changeover switch have been improved

· Thermally Stable Composite (TSC), which has high affinity to metal parts, that are housed internally, increases overall functionality, lifespan, and quality of the lens

· A rounded 9 blade diaphragm creates an attractive blur to the out-of-focus areas of the image

· A newly developed USB dock, which will be sold separately and exclusively for new product lines, can be paired with new Sigma Optimization Pro software to update the lens firmware and adjust parameters, such as micro focus adjustment

Like many Olympus lenses, the 17mm f/1.8 does not appear to include a lens hood. It’s not just the cost, it’s the hassle of finding and obtaining the lens hood with new releases— I wish Olympus would stop this nonsense— can’t a plastic hood be made for about $1? But at this point the Olympus web site doesn’t even list a hood, so perhaps one isn’t even available.

Anyway, I might just shoot it with a filter on the front when on the bike for protection, but I like a lens hood to help keep rain sprinkles off the front element.

Subscribers can enable Retina-grade images on this site, which look really amazing on a MacBook Pro with Retina display, but also are useful for those who wish to zoom web pages to a larger size, because the images don’t become pixellated.

In assessing the image quality I’m seeing recently from the Olympus OM-D E-M5 under controlled conditions (ditto for the Sigma DP1 Merrill), I have to say that quality can be very high with proper exposure, on par with most DSLRs.

It has become clear that many of my field shots the E-M5 deemed to have a “correct” exposure could have accepted a full stop, perhaps as much as two stops more exposure in some cases. I would say that 80% of the images could have accepted at least a full stop more exposure, the exceptions being high contrast images with bright highlights and dark shadows. A full stop means a noise difference of 1.4X, two stops means noise is cut in half.

The foregoing is true even though I almost always shoot manually using ETTR techniques and add exposure over and above the camera recommendation.

The problem is that the Olympus E-M5 is so misleading in its histogram that a wholesale reevaluation of technique with the E-M5 should be on the menu for any E-M5 shooter: the E-M5 tends to badly underexpose, even if the image looks reasonably exposed; the sensor can accept a lot more exposure, and then deliver much superior image quality (shooting RAW is mandatory of course).

This underexposure behavior does not seem to be peculiar to the Olympus E-M5.

I have observed the behavior extensively in the field (not just the Dolls scene).

Why is the exposure so poor? Perhaps because camera vendors tune metering to JPEG shooters, polluting the menus and controls with JPEG-related dreck, including the all important histogram. With conservative exposure, a JPEG avoids blowing out. But as the pair of images below shows, the best exposure for RAW will badly blow-out the JPEG. Hence sub-optimal exposure for RAW, with up to twice the noise (or more) than need be (mitigated by JPEG, which blurs away fine details like noise!).

Accordingly, my future camera assessments from now on will include an assesment of how much exposure the sensor can take, versus what the camera histogram claims is full exposure.

The really good news is that by maximizing “signal to noise”, very high image quality can be obtained from small sensor cameras. Of course it is not sensor size per se— a future 60 megapixel DSLR with tiny relatively noisy photosites would be in the same boat.

Field curvature is not something I expect to see in a telephoto macro lens, at least not a 60mm focal length. And it helps explain the somewhat puzzling results with the first sample; field curvature in combination with a lens assembly error can be very confusing to evaluate.

My print review of Canon and Nikon GPS units is published in the Nov/Dec 2012 Photo Technique magazine. Photo Technique magazine is well worth subscribing to (which is why I write for it— this is my 8th article in it).

I also have the cover photo: Robust Ancient Bristlecone on White Mountain Road. It was taken almost exactly a year ago in one of my favorite haunts using the Leica M9 + Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M. I still hope to get up there this year for the raw beauty of the place, cold though it is.

After putting on my shoes which had frozen to the rubber floor matts inside my SUV (a warm sleeping bag is essential at 10,600' elevation), I woke up to a winter wonderland, and had the entire place to myself for hours.

It was a bit of a challenge to fully present this work, but I think it was worth it. In it, I capture some measure of what I do in the field, and how I can get very high image quality out of even small sensor cameras.

At a glance

Below, it is easy to see why RAW is hugely preferable to JPEG (this is a camera RAW + JPEG pair shot with one press of the shutter), with RAW having generous headroom by comparison, and far higher image quality due to reduced noise:

RAW capture (left), exact same JPEG capture (right)

Mosts cameras mislead for RAW, leading users to underexpose for inferior image quality.

Maybe it’s just delayed ~2 weeks due to the hurricane over on the east coast, or just slightly delayed— not uncommon for hand-assembled Leica lenses, no big deal, hopfeully soon.

Update Nov 13, 2012: a source I deem reliable tells me that the 50/2 AA has been delayed to March 2013.

When it arrives I’ll be comparing the 50/2 AA against the 50/0.95 Noctilux ASPH and the 50/1.4 Summilux ASPH, since the new 50/2 APO might well be the best 50mm yet made, though I do wonder if that new Zeiss 55/1.4 might give it some serious competition (though not on Leica M).

DIGLLOYD: I don’t know for sure, but my audience is probably ~85% male.

To me, the dolls are interesting photographic targets. That’s all.

It is important to have a reference scene. Though I prefer to shoot a lot of field examples, a deluge of new lenses means that it might take considerable calendar time to work through all the lenses in the field, and especially to make a variety of images under varying conditions. Time demands and weather conditions favor shooting a controlled target first, which often reveals useful information for working in the field.

The ‘“dolls” setup is an objective controlled test that can be quite revealing of camera and lens performance. I set it up specifically to reveal various aspects of camera and lens performance):

Fine details, patterns, textures.

Grayscale for tonal range and white balance.

A 3D depth front to back which helps reveals focus shift, especially with the aid of the black/white ruler and background behind it.

A superior subject would be hard to come by. Different perhaps, but not superior.

Sometimes there is more of the dolls target at once than I’d like— but sometimes covering a slug of new lenses offers no time to get out in the field with each one (usually I need several dedicated days per lens for field shots, and I have to schedule such things, hard to do for 3/4/5 lenses or cameras). Or bad weather, etc. So a fixed target lets me both understand lens behavior and offer some coverage ASAP. And I can have confidence in near perfection of focus and white balance.

If one prefers bottles of alcohol and flat resolution charts and printed test targets, such stuff can be found elsewhere— and in my experience they are of marginal value from the standpoint of revealing lens performance on 3D subjects, offering a sub-optimal mix of detail and texture and color and 3D-ness across the frame.

Finally, whatever the subject matter, the same target from lens to lens offers perspective across lenses and cameras.

Press release

Nikon Continues Popular Series of F/4 Lenses with the Addition of the New FX-Format AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR Telephoto Zoom Lens is Nikon’s First Lens with up to Five Stops of Image Stabilization; Offers Outstanding Performance and Superior Image Quality

MELVILLE, N.Y. – October 24, 2012, Nikon Inc. announced the newest addition to its legendary NIKKOR line of lenses, the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR telephoto zoom lens that provides a popular and versatile focal length and a constant f/4 aperture for full frame FX-format photographers. The 70-200mm f/4 is the first NIKKOR lens to feature the third generation of Nikon’s Vibration Reduction (VR) technology to meet the still image and video demands of advanced photographers and videographers.

Legendary Image Quality and Performance In an expansion of Nikon’s f/4 series of NIKKOR lenses, the AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4 is an uncompromising telephoto zoom lens ready for real-world creative applications by professionals and enthusiasts including sports, portraiture and wildlife shooting. Smaller and lighter than Nikon’s AF-S NIKKOR 70-200 f/2.8 lens, this 70-200mm f/4 lens offers a valuable alternative that maintains the superior image quality and lightning quick performance photographers have come to expect from Nikon.

Additionally, Nikon’s newest lens is the first to feature VR image stabilization technology that is able to vastly reduce camera shake and blur by offering the equivalent shutter speed of approximately five stops slower than otherwise possible. Now users are able to shoot confidently in lower light or while handheld to deliver razor sharp images and smooth HD video.

When used alongside the Nikon D4, D800 series and D600 D-SLR cameras, 70-200mm f/4 lens users can take advantage of Nikon professional grade teleconverters to increase the focal length without sacrificing AF and VR abilities. By utilizing the camera’s cross-type focus points at f/8 and below, users can effectively double the focal length of this f/4 lens to 400mm and still retain the AF ability to capture clear subjects at an even greater distance.

Price and Availability The AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/4G ED VR will be available in late November 2012 for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $1,399.95*. Nikon also offers an optional Tripod Collar, available in the near future for a suggested retail price (SRP) of $223.95*. For more information on this and other NIKKOR lenses, as well as other Nikon products, please visit www.nikonusa.com.

Following closely on the heels of the Canon 24mm f/2.8 IS and 28mm f/2.8 IS, Canon has now announced the new EF 35mm f/2 IS.

To posit a theory, the aggressive lens rollout of the 24-70mm f/2.8L II and 24-70mm f/4L IS and 24/2.8 IS, 28/2.8 IS, 35/2 IS are all part of a plan to deliver suitably high performance for higher resolution DSLRs yet to be announced. I say that because so far all have proven to be high performers, clearly better than Canon’s previous wide-angle efforts.

Canon’s description:

The successor to Canon's EF 35mm f/2, the EF 35mm f/2 IS USM lens is a compact and lightweight wide-angle prime lens that provides a high level of image quality and functionality.

The optics and mechanical workings are designed to improve image quality in the lens's periphery and provide faster and quieter AF than its predecessor, as well as Optical IS and optional full-time manual focus, all in a durable lens body with a high-grade design.

I expect the 24-70mm f/4L IS to be a far better performer than the existing 24-105mm f/4L (which could never make sharp corners at any aperture on full-frame— I sold my 24-105 long ago for that reason).

Canon’s description:

Featuring dynamic L-series optical performance in a compact, lightweight and durable design, the new EF 24–70mm f/4L IS USM lens is well suited for all levels of advanced photography on the go.

The ideal companion to Canon’s full-frame Digital SLR cameras such as the EOS 6D, the lens features a constant maximum aperture of f/4 throughout the entire zoom range with 15 lens elements in 12 groups including two aspherical and two UD lens elements and a 9-blade circular aperture diaphragm.

The EF 24–70mm f/4L IS USM lens delivers gorgeous images with excellent detail at all focal lengths and includes a macro feature at the telephoto end with a 0.2m/7.9-inch minimum focusing distance and Canon’s Hybrid IS system (with up to four stops of stabilization).

The macro feature can be engaged through a switch on the lens barrel. In addition, the lens features inner focusing and a ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM) for quiet, fast autofocus, and has full-time mechanical manual focus that’s enabled even during AF operation.

Compact at only 93mm in length, with excellent dust and water resistance, the EF 24–70mm f/4L IS USM lens has a fluorine coating on the front and rear elements for easy maintenance and cleaning.

The EF 24–70mm f/4L IS USM lens is supplied with a lens pouch and reversible lens hood. It is expected to be available in December for an approximate retail price of $1,499.00.

Quite a few readers have written to say they are looking for a high quality compact camera to replace or supplement a DSLR. The Sigma DP1/DP2 Merrill is one camera that produces very high per-pixel quality.

Actually, anyone using the about $2299 24-70/2.8L II might consider it worth the entire DAP subscription price (de minimus in context of the lens price) — for the useful and actionable discovery that it contains, which bears directly on the quality (sharpness) in field shooting. Gems like this are gratifying to document.